


It's All Right Now

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: OQ Movie Week 2019 [7]
Category: Bless the Child (2000), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anniversary, Aunt-Niece Relationship, Bless the Child (2000) References, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dreams and Nightmares, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Headaches & Migraines, Inspired by Bless the Child (2000), OQ Movie Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-18 04:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18242162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: Two weeks shy of the one year anniversary of the night Regina nearly lost her entire family brings nightmares to her and her niece Emma, as well as the promise of safety and love.





	It's All Right Now

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 25 March 2019  
> Word Count: 1675  
> Written for: OQ Movie Week 2019  
> Prompt: _Bless the Child (2000)_  
>  Summary: Two weeks shy of the one year anniversary of the night Regina nearly lost her entire family brings nightmares to her and her niece Emma, as well as the promise of safety and love.  
> Spoilers: Fusion set in the _Bless the Child_ universe that kind of warps everything we know about all the characters. Just know that Regina and Mary Margaret are sisters, Emma is Regina's niece, and Robin is a former priest turned FBI agent.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Yeah, okay, I'm highly doubting there will be many people who even know the movie this is very loosely based on, but it's one of my favorite horror flicks and books for life. I took liberties with the movie in this sequel fic because I could. LOL! I'd initially wanted to do a whole lot more, which would include an entire AU of the film, plus this aftermath, but it ended up being far more bitten off than I could safely chew. Instead, you get this piece. The title is literally the final line of the movie. The dialogue in the flashback, outside of name changes, is directly from the same scene in the movie. I had help on the transcription of the dialogue via [Springfield! Springfield!](https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/)'s copy of the [script](https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=bless-the-child).
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: Not currently, so if you see something that spellcheck and I have missed, please give me a head's up?

"Mim! Mim!"

Regina jerks awake and stumbles to get out of bed at the sound of her niece's cries.

"Love?" Robin asks softly around a yawn.

"Go back to sleep, Robin," she replies, pausing briefly at the door. "Em's having another nightmare. I may just stay with her for the rest of the night."

Before he can say anything, she's heading down the hallway of their cozy apartment toward Emma's bedroom. Stepping inside, she sees the little girl clutching her pillow and rocking back and forth. Door left ajar, Regina walks over to the bed to sit next to her with open arms, grateful when Emma instantly crawls into her lap.

"Mim," is all the girl will mutter, tears streaming down her face.

"It's okay, Emma, I've got you," she murmurs, rocking slowly back and forth as she rubs the girl's back. "You're safe now."

They're quiet for several minutes, and she can feel Emma's body growing heavy against hers. A smile curls up her lips when she hears a soft snore. She stands long enough to settle Emma in the bed, then crawls in with her. When she drifts off to sleep with Emma cuddled into her chest, her dreams take her back a little over seven years ago…

_~~ 25 December 1993 ~~_

Regina is walking home from the bus stop, her shift at the hospital having bled over. But it's not like she has any reason to race home, not even in the wee hours of Christmas morning.

"Merry Christmas."

That voice comes from the shadows. It's late and all Regina wants is to go home and unwind with a glass of chardonnay before she heads to bed. "I don't have any change." She doesn't, having spent the last of her cash on a cup of shitty vending machine coffee about two hours ago to help her stay focused. "If you need a place to stay, there's a shelter right down on Nassau--" The rest of the sentence dies on her lips as the person steps out of the shadows. "Mary?"

"Say hello to your Aunt Regina."

She realizes the bundle in her younger sister's arms is, in fact, a baby. A newborn from the looks of it. Her arms ache to hold that baby suddenly. "I don't even know where to start, Mary. It's been two years." It feels like so much longer. Then the baby cries and she's drawn in again, opening the door to let Mary into the warm entryway to wait for the elevator. Small talk rules in the elevator and into the apartment. "And a baby. What's his name?"

"Her name is Emma."

"Emma." She'd once confided in her sister that she'd always wanted a daughter named Emily.

"She's eight-- Oh, no. She's nine days old." Mary is clearly struggling with holding the now squirming baby and the lumpy, stuffed backpack. Setting it on the ground, she busies herself with removing the baby's cold, damp swaddling, and still the babe keeps crying. 

Without thought, Regina asks, "Can I pick her up?"

"She doesn't like to be held, but do what you want." 

There's a strange light in Mary's eyes that Regina recognizes, but chooses to ignore it as she scoops up the tiny infant and holds her close. The stench of a wet diaper hits her before her top begins to grow just as wet from wicking it away. "She's soaking wet."

_~~ present {31 March 2001} ~~_

Regina awakens with the beginnings of a migraine, thanks to the memories of the night she became Emma's guardian. Rather than be upset about it, she takes a deep breath and gets up to make breakfast for Emma and Robin. Her niece is sleepily stubborn, but offers a bright smile at the sight of orange wedges in the bowl at her spot on the table.

"Orange smiles! Emma likes orange smiles, Mim."

Clearly the nightmare from last night hasn't made her nonverbal this time. Regina counts it as a blessing, remembering far too many days of tantrums and acute sensitivities brought on by her autism. Regina leans over to press a kiss to her hair as she sets a glass of apple juice down. "I know you do, Em. Orange smiles always make the bad dreams go away, don't they?"

Emma nods and begins to eat her breakfast and chatter happily of her plans for the school day, allowing Regina to return to the stove to check on the oatmeal and bacon. Robin pads out of the bedroom just as she's plating up the food, and leans over to tickle at Emma's cheek with his beard. It's one of the few things that Emma rarely shies away from, and Regina thanks God every single morning that this man came into their lives when he did.

"Morning, milady," he murmurs, coming over to take the bowls from Regina. "You look wiped out."

"Migraine," she replies and accepts his kiss to her temple. "I have the day off, so I'll nap once I get Em off to school."

"Are you su--"

"Mim sick?" There are tears in Emma's eyes as both adults look over to see her staring back at them. "Emma no go to school. Emma stay with Mim."

"Mim will be just fine, sweetheart," Regina replies. "You need to go to school and learn more of your numbers and letters. Sister Maria will be waiting for you to be helper of the day, remember?"

"Oh yes!"

Regina and Robin quickly bring over the rest of breakfast and settle in their chairs and Emma chatters more about school and her friends. Food and a bit of coffee help Regina's equilibrium to return, and she doesn't fight too hard when Robin offers to take Emma to school. Emma likes when Robin takes her. Her friends think he's their special protector, and he doesn't abuse them of that idea.

She's still not exactly sure how Robin ended up transferred to New York permanently after they managed to break up Keith Nottingham's murderous satanic cult, but she will never look a gift horse in the mouth. They managed to save Emma and Mary both, and to this day Regina still can't explain how she survived that gunshot wound other than to say it was by the grace of God Himself and the angels she saw that day nearly a year ago.

*****

By the time Robin returns home, Regina has curled up in bed under the down comforter with her eye mask on and an ice bag against the base of her skull. The mask bears drops of peppermint and lavender essential oils to help ease more of the migraine's pain until her meds kick in. She's almost drifted off to sleep when the mattress dips and warmth blossoms behind her.

"Robin?"

"Shh," he murmurs, spooning against her back. "Emma's safely in Sister Maria's care for the next seven hours and I've taken a personal day to make sure you're all right."

A sleep smile curls up her lips and she pulls his hand over the right side of her chest, pressing it to the spot where a scar should reside, but doesn't. "You didn't have to, but I'm grateful you did."

"Just rest, love. I know what's got you and Emma both upset. I felt this way on the anniversary of my first major job-related injury. Keith Nottingham and the worst members of his cult are dead. There will be no more children like Emma killed by them."

"I know," she whispers, tears soaking into the eye mask.

"And your sister has been doing well in her sobriety and therapy. Didn't you say she may be able to come home for a visit over Easter?"

"She wants to see Emma. She--" Regina licks her lips. "She told me in her last letter that she's actually considering a period of discernment when she's released from the facility."

"Mary wishes to take vows?" The surprise in his voice is palpable, matches her own when she'd read Mary's words. "I had no idea she was so religiously called."

"We both grew up Catholic, but she never seemed interested. Boys and drugs were always a higher priority, but I guess things have changed in the past year."

Robin nods, fingers gently massaging over the spot just under her collarbone, soothing her even more. She relaxes into his solid safety and lets out a soft hum.

"When she comes to visit, I can sit down and talk with her. I know it's better to talk to other nuns, but I went through seminary and was ordained a priest long before I joined the FBI."

That makes Regina turn and pull up the edge of the mask to squint at him. "You would do that for Mary?"

He smiles and leans in to nuzzle her nose with his. "I would do that for Mary, for Emma, and for you. She'll need to know that she cannot take any vows with a dependent child."

"She, um, mentioned possibly giving us custody of Emma. I've raised her practically from birth, and she's opened up so much more since you came into our lives. Mary still wants to be in Emma's life, but she feels that she needs to be her best self to be good for Emma, and she needs this to do that."

"Whatever she needs, whatever you and Emma need, you know I will do everything in my power to see it happen. We all have a destiny, and only God can guide us toward it. Who am I to deny anyone their chance at fulfilling their destiny?"

"I love you," she murmurs, the words slurring suddenly as her meds kick in. She lets the mask fall to her face again and snuggles into Robin's chest.

"And I love you, Regina. Rest now and let the meds do their work. I'll keep you safe."

Regina nods, already feeling drowsy. "It's all right now," she mumbles before falling prey to sleep's siren call, visions of the trio of angels that saved her family returning.


End file.
